Spring



May 15, 1945.v J. M. BENNETT ,3

' SPRING Filed July 31, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1M, BENNETT INVENTOR.

BY W ATTORNEY.

J. M. BiENNETT May 15,1945.-

' srnme Filed July 31, i942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J/VLBENNETT INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY -the'line 2'2 of Fig; g-of the arrows;-

ftion of the key case of Patented May 15, 1945 SPRING; John M. Bennett, New York, N. Y., assignor to Tulin Corporation, New

ration of New York York, N. Y., a corpo- Application July31, 1942 Serial Not 455L012 1 Claim. (01. 267-1) This invention relates to springs especially,

but not exclusively, adapted to be employed in key cases of the kind in which a plurality of keys are mounted on pivots, are normally individually confined within the case by latch springs which may be selectively released by the user, and are individually snapped outward by ejector springs upon the release of their respective latch springs.

.In the illustrative embodiment of the invention provision ismade of a flat, generally rec- 'tagular, key case for a' pair of keys. comprising .upper and lower casing members disposed in con- -fronting, parallel relation, each provided with spacing'bosses at' diagonally opposite corners and ma central region, through which the casing' members are united to one another.

. 1 It is a primary object of the invention to provide a plastic spring formed with an enlarged anchoring end, the spring being of tapering thickness' from the'end adjoining said base portionto the end remote therefrom and being cross corrugated, the corrugations being of progressively diminishing. amplitude from the enlarged end toward theend remote therefrom. 1 Other objects and advantages will appear.

WNo, claim is made herein to theinvention in .key'cases disclosed herein, that subject matter :being-disclosed and claimed in-my'pending application, Serial No. 567,497 filed December 9,

1944, for Key case, which is a division of the present application. g'In the drawings forming part'of this specification i y'rFig; 1 is a plan view of an illustrative key case *the upper casing member being removed to reveal thelower assembly, and a pair of keys being shown, one in latched position and the other in agreleased or ejected position;

. F, ,;.-2 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the key case of Fig, l with the lower assembly shown in' section, thesection being taken upon 1- looking in the direction Fig. 3 is a view in'end elevation hereinafter of the key (case of; Fig. '1 with the lowerassembly shown in the upper casing member 1 l and a spacing boss s'ecti'on,-the section being taken upon the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the :arrows; I v a I Fig; 4 is another fragmentary view in eleva- Fig. 1 with thelower assemblyshownin section, the section being taken upon the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, looking inthe direc- ..tion of the arrows;

.Fi g 5 is a view similarto Fig. 1 showing another form-of the invention in which the springs are of plastic material; and

Fig. 6 is a further view similar toFig. 1, but showing'still another form of the invention.

In the illustrative key case of Figs. 1 to 4, the

case comprises upper and lowercasing members H and [2 which are desirably formed of a plastic material such "asCelluloid or one of the celluloseacetates. -';I'he casing members II and i2 are in general in theformof elongated, rectangular, flat plates. At' diagonally opposite corners, the lower casing member I2 is formed with spacing bosses l3, and it; is formed with a further central spacing boss 14. .Correspondingspacing bosses l5 are formed at diagonally opposite corners of i6 is formed at the center.

The spacing bosses of the upper and lower casing members ll and I2 have interfitting jig formations through v which the correct relative positioning-ofthe members H and l2 may be immediately and mechanically assured. As illustrated, the jig formations take the form of jig pins l! on the bosses liwhich fit into jig openings l8 in the bosses l3, and a jig pin IS on the boss l6 which fits into a jig opening 20 in the After the otherelements to be described have been assembled with the lower casing member ill, the casing members are directly and integrally bonded to one another through the spacing bosses. This bonding is desirably effected by applying to the bosses a bonding material composed of the'same material as the casing memers dissolved in a-suitable solvent. The casing members are held pressed together until the bonding material has had an opportunity to become set.

In the illustrative'structurepf Figs. 1 to 4:, pivot springs 2|, latch springs 22 and ejector springs 23-areanchored to, the lower casing member 12 prior-to the assembly of the lower casing member l2 with the upper casing member H. The springs-as here illustrated may. be of anysuitable metal or alloy but are desirably ofv non -rusting metal such as copper, or a suitable alloy of copper, and are all in the form of leaf springs. Tlach pivot springsll has a U-shaped formation at its fixed or anchored end Which is set in a (recess 24 of thelowercasing member l2. vAn anchoring b1oek'25, desirably of the same plastic material as the casing, is placed over the anchored endof the spring 2lin the hollow or U-shaped portion and extends beyond the lateral bounds of the spring 2i within the recessZA.

The anchoring block .is bonded integrally to the lower casing member l2 in the same way in which the casing members are integrally bonded to one another, as already described.

The free portion of the spring 2| extends over a clearance recess 26 formed in the lower casing member 12. The spring is formed at the free end thereof-with. adome shaped boss 21 which normally extends into, proximity with, ,01 may even extend into contact with, the lower fac of the upper casing member ll.

When the handle portion of a key 28 is thrust into a corner of the key case and against the boss 21, it cams the boss downward,.flexing the. spring 2|, until a clearance,isprovidedtbetween..

the boss 21 and the lower face of the upper casing member ll suflicient to accommodate the sight or touch. For the former purpose the bosses are numbered 1 and 2; for the latter =one small tit or boss 40 is provided on the outer ,face-.otthe.casingmember ll adjacent the boss thickness of the key. Wherr'themirculan-opening in the handle portion of the key 28,,comes over the boss 21, the pressure On the spring 2| is relieved; and the bosssnaps i-n-to the-openingof the key and forms apivotupon which the key "may berotated.

The pivotspring 2 l -,-with its boss 21; serves pivotal-1y to support'the key in -the case with-capacity -for-removal* if desired. "The key may-be completely-detached at-any time by pulling it out with suflicient force to cam' -the boss 21 downward, but normallyfthe' key is 'retained by the boss with suflicient force-to prevent accidental dislodgement' Theinner faceofmhe boss is more abrupt than the outer'face,-so' that akey may be inserted against li'ttle--oppos'ition but requires a greater -force-for its-retraction.

Each ejector spring -23 is' formed' with a-loop at fits-fixed -or anchored end which surrounds an upwardly projecting'boss=29-formed'-on the lower casingmember I2. The spring23 is de- 'si-rablybonded tothe 'boss =0r;-post"-2 9' by -the same -maiterial' through which ther plastic parts are bonded to one another',*--but such bonding'may 'beadispen-sed with, if=- -desir'ed. I-he spring 23 overlies "the cor-responding =1a-tchcspring 22' and stands in the path" of the key upon which: it is intended 'toioperate. Turningbf a key 'to the position in'which the key is shown in Fig. 1 stresses the sprin 23 and stores up energy for snapping the key shatplrmutwzirdvwhen 'it is unlatched.

Eachlatch spring" 22 -is formedrat its fixed or -anchor'ed end'withan offset portion" 3| :which 3 is seated in a recess '32nffrthe lowercasing member I2. An anchoring block 33 of plastic mate- "rial extends :over the offset portion 3| of the spring and beyond the laterahbounds thereof;

' being integrallybonded'with the lower #casing member in" 1 the -same manner as' the blocks 25 which anchor the pivot springs 2|.

-Each la'tch spring 22 is-formedt-at the free end thereof with a alatching.-nosez portion 34.

- This nose portion has "an abrupt innervertical 'wall 35 for engaging and detaining the key in latched positionwand'an- -outer slopingwall 36 against which the key amay operatex' to cam the spring -downward=- as the 1: 'key isthrust" inward 1 toward latched positionr- -As soon as*- thekey has 31....marked 7fI,. and two small tits or bosses 40 'areprouided onthe outer face of the casing member H adjacent the boss 31 marked 2.

-While the-casing members II and I2 are generally. rectangular in form, they are provided with edge recesses 41 to enable the user to press the :keysinward to a latchedposition-inwhich the keyis entirely contained with-in. normal'bounds :of the keycase, and hence does not [projectoutward so asto rub against the pocketxoifthe user.

or againstwobjects carried inu-the' pocket'along 'with the key case.

"J'The. structure illustratedlin =Fig. 5is gener ally the same as-that illustrated 'in Figs: 1 to 4,

- the 1 only exceptions .-:being that all the springs are formed-jot .plasticmaterial, :-desirably;;.the

same as'the casing material;:and that:the ejector springs.. are formed v andr. mounted differently.

Corresponding reference. characters with the. subscript a.- .added in reach; instance thavegaccord- -=ingly1..been: applied: to corresponding: vparts, and

the detailed descriptionawill: be:-. confined to.a

description of the mounting and construction of athe ejector springs.

rInstead .of-posts129; the: lower .casingmember A 2a.: is rprovided: with recessesix 50. .1 Each @ejector 'sprin s2-3a; as already noted',:is madeofplastic -material; desirably the. same; material as that Jof. which the upper .anddcwer; casing members is formed. Each ejector. spring"-comprises:=.an

"anchoring base" portion 5 l the lower.- portion of which is adapted substantially to fit-snugly into'therec'ess 50. This :base portionis integrally :bonded "to :the lower casing :member IZa-"in I. the

-manner already described. The fiexibleportion ofthe-springis of tapering thick-ness from-the anchoring block" 5 lto the ---remote "end of the spring, and it is cross-corrugated. :The cross- "corrugations 52 are ofprogressively diminishing height or amplitude from the anchoring block -51 toward the remote end of the spring. The tapering thickness of the spring; together with the corrugations, gives to the various portions of the spring desired characteristics of rigidity and resiliency for enabling it to performits-intended function in a thoroughly satisfactory -manner.

In the form of the invention disclosed in Fig. 6 every part of i the key caseincluding the springs as well as the casing members may be of plastic been-thrust inward -far-enodgh'toi'clear the'nose material, although the spring members maygif desired, be madeof'metal.

The "casing members are, with one exception, the same as in theforms already described; and

as to these like'parts' corresponding reference characters have been applied with the subscript b" added in each instance. The detailed de- 'scri-ption 'will be confined -to--poi-nting out-the structure which is different from the forms already described.

The center boss Nb of thelower casing member 1 12b is made non-circular inform; and both the center boss b and the jig pin lb of the upper casing member are formed with coinciding cross; slots. A spring block 60, which is desirably composed of the same plastic material as the casing sections, but which may be composed of any suitable material, either plastiq or metal, comprises a central relatively thick and rigid body' portion 6| which isimpaled upon and fitsthe non-circular central boss llb. A recess 68 formed in the lower casing member I2!) is shaped to receive the plastic block 60. The block 60 includes integrally a pair of arms 62 having pivot bosses '63. at the outer ends thereof, the arms 82 serving as pivot" springs for the respective keys. I

The block '60 also includes integrally a pair of arms 64 which serve as latch springs. Each arm 64' includes a latch nose 68 of the same shape and for the same purpose as the nose 34 of spring The two ejector springs 23b in this instance form arms of a single leaf spring '51. This leaf spring comprises a central portion which is received'in the slots of the boss lb and the jig pin HI), and resilient arms which extend part way around the boss Nb, and thence in opposite directions from the boss into positions for actingupon the respective keys. The ejector spring 61 may be of metal, or it may performed of the same plastic material of which the casing members and the other spring members are formed. In the latter case the central portion of the spring may be integrally bonded to the boss Nb and to the jig pin l9b, if desired.

I have described What I believe to be the best embodiments of my invention. I do not Wish, however, to be confined to the embodiments shown, but what I desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claim.

Iclaim: V

A leaf spring of plastic material formed with an enlarged base portion for anchorage, said spring being of tapering thickness from the end adjoining said-base portion to the end remote therefrom and being cross-corrugated throughout substantially the entire length thereof, the corrugations being of progressively diminishing am-- plitude from the end adjoining the base portion toward the end remote therefrom.

mm M. BENNETT. 

